20 April 2026
Justine Berry has always been someone who throws herself into dance wholeheartedly. A teacher, workshop leader and current subject lead for ballet and contemporary at Bird Conservatoire, she has built a career defined by curiosity and a genuine love of the art form. She holds a master's degree in dance teaching, Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching, holds membership with other dance organisations, and regularly travels internationally to deliver workshops.
When she began thinking about her next step professionally, she knew ISTD membership would provide the credibility and community she needed to grow.
"I love National Dance," she explains. "I think it was such a big part of my identity as a child. I remember enjoying studying about different countries and creating the project for the exam."
"I teach Character at The Royal Ballet School and after focusing on developing the areas of ballet and pedagogy I wanted to expand my knowledge in Character. I am incredibly passionate about the history, music, and costume of national and folk dances and the relationship with Character. Developing my understanding of National Dance increases what I had to offer students in the learning process."
"Dame Ninette De Valois placed great emphasis and value on including national and folk dance in the curriculum and I want to contribute to maintaining that vision."
That warmth and enthusiasm for dance in all its forms is what ultimately drew her back into ISTD. After connecting with a colleague who was a current ISTD member, she discovered she could apply for membership using her existing qualifications and skills. "Everyone was so welcoming."
For Justine, joining the ISTD was never about moving away from her existing qualifications and memberships. It was about adding to them. "I just wanted to really enhance my skills and my approach," she says, "so that when I am asked to do these things, I've got more information and more expertise and knowledge to be able to address it."
As subject lead at Bird Conservatoire, she works with students at a high level, and the breadth of knowledge and community that ISTD membership brings has fed directly into her teaching.
Justine has found that the teaching methods and syllabi are not the only advantage to ISTD membership. "I really, truly love the digital Dance magazine," she says. "It's not just information, it's the right people writing those articles, people who are really knowledgeable." She describes it as something that genuinely feeds her thinking as an educator.
Her advice to other experienced teachers who are already qualified elsewhere is simple:
"I think it's always good to open your eyes and be aware of different ways of doing things, different approaches. There's always value in looking wider."
For Justine, the ISTD has been exactly that, not a replacement for what she already had, but a natural and enriching addition to it.
